Prospect Info: 2024 Draft (2/53): Leo Sahlin Wallenius (D) | Vaxjo Jr (SweJr)

[The Nemesis]

This pick was acquired from Detroit in the Jake Walman trade. It had previously changed hands twice also involving Nashville and Tampa Bay

Outlet	Rank
NHL Central Scouting	#7 European Skater
TSN Bob McKenzie	#42
TSN Craig Button	#29
EliteProspects	#69
Sportsnet Cosentino	#29
Sportsnet Bukala	#31
Future Considerations	#40
THN Ryan Kennedy	#39
THN Tony Ferrari	N/R
Tankathon	#36
FloHockey	#34
Daily Faceoff	#39
Dobber Hockey	#67
The Hockey Writers	#49

EliteProspects
Player Type Keywords: Puck-Moving Defenseman, Speedster, Two-Way Defenseman

Leo Sahlin Wallenius is a sound puck distributor and in-zone defender. His defensive skating allows him to match speed in space with ease, contain opponents, and get stops along the wall. Constant scanning allows him to disrupt potential scoring plays as they develop. With the puck, Sahlin Wallenius can easily avoid forechecking pressure and generate exits and entries at pace.

Leo Sahlin Wallenius - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Leo Sahlin Wallenius, 2006-04-10 Skövde, SWE Sweden. Most recently in the HockeyAllsvenskan with Nybro Vikings IF. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

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The Hockey Writers

I haven’t been blown away by Leo Sahlin Wallenius’ skating like some others. That’s not to say it wasn’t good, but it didn’t set him apart from others on the ice like his teammate Freij. I like his creativity in his passes, but like many other offensive-minded defencemen, he lacks commitment in the defensive zone and is usually looking to see where he can pick up the puck. I don’t think it was as bad as some others ahead of him and there were times he showed good anticipation and positioning as well as physicality, but his limited offensive ceiling makes him a second-round pick.

2024 NHL Draft: Reimer's Final 3-Round Rankings - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

In the days leading up to the 2024 NHL Entry Draft on June 28, The Hockey Writers' Dayton Reimer provides a breakdown of the first 96 picks.

thehockeywriters.com

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The Athletic

Tier: Middle of the lineup player

Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Player comparable: Erik Brannstrom

Analysis: Sahlin Wallenius isn’t the biggest defenseman but he’s a very solid two-way player who was the leading player on Sweden’s U18 team this season. He’s one of the best skaters in the draft. He has a powerful and efficient stride that allows him to easily evade pressure and skate pucks up ice. He closes on checks well and is great coming back on pucks in a way that should translate to pro hockey. Sahlin Wallenius has good hands and vision and can shoot the puck well, too, even though he doesn’t project as a major scorer at the higher levels. The sum of his parts looks like a regular NHL defenseman.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5598387/2024/06/28/sharks-rangers-nhl-draft-picks-grades-2024/ (****PAYWALL****)

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FloHockey

A high-end skater with a good all-around game, Sahlin Wallenius doesn’t have any one thing that really excites you about his game. He’s steady at both ends of the ice, but lacks a dynamic skill element which limits his upside. He did produce at a high level in various competitions including the Swedish U20 ranks and logged massive minutes internationally. He was reliable in any situation you put him in, which is a credit to his overall hockey sense, which I do believe is one of his better traits. There’s an outside chance at some top-four upside, but I feel like it will be challenging for him as an average-sized defender to carve out a defined role up the lineup. He's just such a steady and predictable-in-a-good-way player, it's hard not to think he'll find his spot and thrive.

NHL Draft Rankings 2024 Final Edition

Macklin Celebrini leads FloHockey's 2024 NHL Draft Rankings of the top 100 prospects from Chris Peters heading into June's draft.

www.flohockey.tv

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Sportsnet.ca (Jason Bukala)

Wallenius is another in a long line of Swedish defencemen who are outstanding skaters, transition players, and power play quarterbacks. He leans distributor more than shooter in the offensive zone. Wallenius is smart enough to be used in all situations. He’s the kind of defender who can eat heavy minutes with his approach to the game.


NHL Projection: Second pairing. Deployed in all situations

Scout's Analysis: Ranking the top 70 prospects for the 2024 NHL Draft

In his final prospect rankings for this season, Jason Bukala presents a list of the top 70 players available at the 2024 NHL Draft.

www.sportsnet.ca

Click to read more...

 

[The Nemesis]

More D for the D corps.

 

[Munnyro]

"Can you play your off side?"

 

[PeePeeMcGee]

For me, it was between him and Pulkkinen at this pick. Great job, GMMG

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Seems like we got a lot of lefty d-men in the system now. They got Thrun, Mukhamadullin, Dickinson, Cagnoni, and now this kid.

 

[mogambomoroo]

Liked the pick, but we need those righties real bad asap.

 

[spintops]

Liked the pick, but we need those righties real bad asap.

I've heard he has played on the right side at the U18s

 

[ISharkted]

GMMG knocking it out of the park. Clearly going BPA with the most possible upside and legit potential to make the big show in time.

 

[DG93]

Seems a solid pick and a very good skater (top-10 among international players)?

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

MG is nailing it

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807088238487892104

 

[coooldude]

Feels a bit like a Havelid redux in the same way Edstrom feels like a Bystedt redux.

 

[TealManV]

Is he around for Dev camp?

 

[Lebanezer]

Draft Pick (6/29): Wallenius | San Jose Sharks

Leo Sahlin Wallenius answers questions from media.

www.nhl.com

 

[Jargon]

I know very little about him other than I want to call him Walrenius for some reason, but reading more about him… is he… very good? He seems very good. Great skater, good offense.. needs to gain muscle but has top 4 upside. I like.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807226448014627130

 

[The Nemesis]

I know very little about him other than I want to call him Walrenius for some reason, but reading more about him… is he… very good? He seems very good. Great skater, good offense.. needs to gain muscle but has top 4 upside. I like.

one nice thing for this draft is that it seems like pretty much everyone they picked is a good skater. If you're gonna have one skill be the foundational thing for your entire prospect pool, skating's a solid choice.

 

[timorous me]

I know very little about him other than I want to call him Walrenius for some reason, but reading more about him… is he… very good? He seems very good. Great skater, good offense.. needs to gain muscle but has top 4 upside. I like.

He seems very solid all-around. Also, I want to call him "Sahlund." We need some Lunds on defense, right? Or Wallundius, maybe? Honorary Lund.

 

[The Nemesis]

He seems very solid all-around. Also, I want to call him "Sahlund." We need some Lunds on defense, right? Or Wallundius, maybe? Honorary Lund.

Leo Sahlund Wallundilund

 

[LadyStanley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807083226768220216

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807089759162171456

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807088794652508647

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807226448014627130

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807083011911118884

 

[Michael Farkas]

Hey guys,

Not sure if you saw, but I made a post on the Prospects board - here - for a video I made on Leo Sahlin Wallenius...which is uncharacteristically positive for my normal style haha. If it's of interest...

 

[OrrNumber4]

Love that last line...Sharks arguably may have 4 first-round talents from the 2024 draft.

 

[Kcoyote3]

Hey guys,

Not sure if you saw, but I made a post on the Prospects board - here - for a video I made on Leo Sahlin Wallenius...which is uncharacteristically positive for my normal style haha. If it's of interest...

Great video. Was very annoying to read scouting reports that labeled him as an undersized offense first guy. He's very much a two-way player like you mentioned. He's smart and has the subtle defensive reads that make you excited for his pro future. I was super excited when the Sharks picked him up where they did.

 

[Pavelski2112]

Hey guys,

Not sure if you saw, but I made a post on the Prospects board - here - for a video I made on Leo Sahlin Wallenius...which is uncharacteristically positive for my normal style haha. If it's of interest...

Fantastic video, thanks for that

 

[coooldude]

Hey guys,

Not sure if you saw, but I made a post on the Prospects board - here - for a video I made on Leo Sahlin Wallenius...which is uncharacteristically positive for my normal style haha. If it's of interest...

Love your breakdowns, thank you, glad you've picked them back up. Not that you have a lot of time for this, but I for one (and probably others) were hoping we'd take Jesse Pulkkinen, who went next at 54. I'd love to see a breakdown for him. He was an overager, but he had a really solid D+1 and has all the "big tools" people love, size, some mobility (although maybe a bit lead footed?), seemingly a decent shot and puck skills, decent reads in the OZ, a little nastiness, but I haven't had the chance to really watch a shift-by-shift or break down the game to the level of reads.